Sat Sep 20 19:40:36 UTC 2025: **Delhi’s Ambitious Stray Dog Microchipping Plan Faces Hurdles**
**New Delhi, September 21, 2025** – The Delhi government is embarking on an ambitious plan to microchip nearly 1 million stray dogs over the next two years, aiming to better manage the city’s stray population and curb rabies. The initiative, a collaboration with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), comes as the city grapples with thousands of dog bite cases annually and confirmed instances of rabies.
However, experts warn that the success of the microchipping program hinges on addressing long-standing issues within the Animal Birth Control (ABC) program. While the microchips are intended to streamline the “catch-neuter-vaccinate-release” model and improve monitoring, the program has been plagued by outdated data, inadequate resources, and poor implementation for over two decades.
“How do you expect to implement a program without knowing how many dogs you’re dealing with?” questioned a former director of the MCD Rabies Control Programme, highlighting the need for an updated dog census, the last of which was conducted in 2009. Current estimates vary widely, with the MCD now estimating nearly 10 lakh stray dogs.
The city’s Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) has earmarked ₹15 crore for neutering this year, adding to the ₹60 crore spent between 2015 and 2024. However, NGOs running ABC centers report they have not received funding disbursements since March, impacting their ability to continue operations. They report that the 1,000 rupees given by the MCD is not enough to cover the actual costs of the operation.
Beyond funding issues, centers are struggling with inadequate infrastructure, staffing shortages, and outdated practices. “Our veterinary department is one of the most neglected wings of the MCD,” an official admitted, noting hundreds of vacant positions.
Furthermore, some argue that the ABC rules themselves are flawed, legalizing straying and undermining provisions of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (PCA) Act. There is now a push to consider amendments to allow for the relocation of stray dogs, a practice currently prohibited.
Despite these challenges, the government remains committed to the microchipping initiative. Development Minister Kapil Mishra has emphasized the need for accurate data, while MCD officials hope the program will improve long-term monitoring of vaccinated and sterilized dogs.
Whether this ambitious plan can overcome the systemic issues plaguing the ABC program remains to be seen.
First Piper 